Passing through the rich variety of truths which crowd the pages of the book of Genesis, we are at once brought face to face with the central truth of all Scripture, REDEMPTION; which is the starting point of the soul's history with God, and of this the book of Exodus mainly treats. The next and necessary stage in the life of one who can, on divine authority, say "I am saved," is WORSHIP-"Giving thanks unto the Father which hath made us meet to be partakers of the inheritance of the saints in light" (Col. 1:12); now that is the point to which we are conducted in the book of Leviticus. Then follows the SERVICE and trials of the wilderness, so fully detailed in the deeply instructive book of Numbers.
In the previous book Jehovah, dwelling in midst of His redeemed and happy people, gave forth His rich communications of grace, chiefly in respect to His peoples' worship and communion. In this book His Tabernacle is pitched in the midst of His people numbered and gathered; Himself the center, rest, and guide of the many thousands of Israel.
This is essentially a book of wilderness trial; one, too, of Divine and unwearied patience with the murmuring host. Here are written down the records of a love which embraced the whole nation, and every individual member thereof, in all the movements, difficulties, trials, and hourly vicissitudes of the long and wearisome journey of nigh 39 years. Had they confided in God, eleven days would have sufficed to have completed their journey from Sinai (Deut. 1:2). Brief, but telling, however, is the recital of that tenderness and care that watched over every member of the mighty host-"thy raiment waxed not old upon thee, neither did thy foot swell these forty years" (Deut. 8:4). A few of the grave events which befell Israel are grouped together in moral order by the Gentile apostle in warning the lax Corinthians against trusting in ordinances instead of Christ, and he sums up thus—may we lay it to heart! "Now all these things happened unto them for ensamples (or types), and they are written for our admonition upon whom the ends of the world (or ages) are come. Wherefore, let him that thinketh he standeth take heed lest he fall" (1 Cor. 10:1-12).
Numbers comprises a period of forty years, save fourteen months, that is from the departure from Sinai, where they lingered about a year, till their arrival on the extensive plains of Moab, preparatory to the passage of the Jordan—compare Num. 10:11 with Josh. 4:19. Before they commenced their wilderness journey the people were carefully numbered, the Levites being separated from the mass of the people and numbered by themselves. The total number of men fit for war, from 20, years old, was 603,550 (Num. 1:46); this gives an addition of 3,550 to the number who left Egypt (Ex. 12:37). There was a second numbering of the people in the plains of Moab at the close of their journey 38 years afterward (Num. 26:51, 64, 65); none in the original census were embraced in this one, save Caleb and Joshua, all the rest having perished in the wilderness. The total number in this case was 601,730. The beautiful order and Divine arrangement of the tribes with their standards surrounding the Tabernacle, must have been an imposing sight when it elicited that inspired utterance from the apostate prophet, "How goodly are thy tents, O Jacob, and thy tabernacles, O Israel" (Num. 24:5). Alas! how the precious unity and ecclesiastical order of God's Assembly on earth has signally failed as to outward testimony. How has the fine gold become dim! But while we would bow our heads in acknowledgment of signal and widespread failure, we dare not compromise the weighty truth which God has in grace to His poor church revived in late years. "There is one body and one spirit." We can ever count upon the grace of our God, "who abideth faithful: He cannot deny Himself."
The Levites, typical of Christians in service, are here prominent, as the priests, typical of us in worship, were in Leviticus.
Most of the facts and incidents recorded in this deeply suggestive and highly instructive book happened in the beginning and close of their journey, that is, in the second and thirty-ninth years of their eventful history.
It will greatly assist in the simplifying of the historical portion of the book if the three points in the wilderness history be duly attended to. (1)Shortly after the departure from Sinai, Israel arrived in the wilderness of Paran, and from Kadesh, south of Palestine, sent out spies to view the promised land; then (2) follows an unrecorded history of many years, a silence almost unbroken, and the veil scarce lifted from the period of death, for it was during this time that the rebellious nation was under the sentence of death, and under the ban of God's displeasure; the (3) next great epoch in the history is their arrival a second time at Kadesh, and their journey from thence to the eastern side of Canaan, because of the scornful refusal of Edom to allow a passage through his territory. The first part is noted in Num. 1.-12., the second part in Num. 13.-19., the third part is in Num. 20.-36
The book is full of solemn events, and if the grace of Jehovah is here reflected on every page, no less is the holiness of that grace maintained. Ten times at least we have here recorded murmuring and rebellion against the Lord, and as often did judgment follow; but alas! man in nature is irrecoverable, hence in the brazen serpent (Num. 21., John 3:14-16), type of the crucified Savior, and in Aaron's budding rod laid up in Jehovah's presence (Num. 17.), type of living priesthood, we have set forth the righteous ground and holy means by which God can SAVE the sinner and SUSTAIN the saint.
GENERAL DIVISIONS.
1.-The numberings of the people for war and the Levites for Tabernacle service. Num. 1.-4.
2.-People, Priests, and Levites getting ready for the wilderness journey. Num. 5.-10:1-10.
3.-The journey from Sinai to the southern border of Canaan. Num. 10:11-14.
4.-The people turned back; an almost unrecorded history of about 37 years. Num. 15-20:1-21.
5.-The journey to the eastern side of Canaan, skirting the land of Edom, and the arrival of the people on the plains of Moab and numerous interesting events, with Divine instruction for Canaan. Num. 20:22—Num. 36.